WRI 101-F (Fall 2022) - Bad Art

This writing course examines “bad art”: cultural productions that raise questions about censorship and freedom of expression, the ethics of representation, “camp” and “bad” taste, and good art made by bad people.  We will consider a variety of cultural forms, including literary texts (poems, fiction); music, television and film; and the visual arts.  We will work to develop criteria for engaging with these forms; to develop these criteria, we will read critical theory, popular journalism, and literary and art criticism.  Student writing will include shorter, low-stakes assignments, informal presentations, and a series of essays (three) executed through a sequence of individual and group-oriented activities (e.g. conferences, peer-review, drafting and revision).